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| Srinagar improves polling over past | | |
The turnout of voters in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday is neither a victory for the separatists nor is it a defeat for the Government. Yes the voters in the eight Assembly segments in Srinagar district seem to have responded to the separatists' call for poll boycott as these segments registered 11.46 per cent polling. This was compensated by 37 per cent polling in five Assembly segments in Budgam district and by 38 per cent polling in the two segments in Ganderbal district. Those who participated in the polling deserve appreciation because they defied the 50-hour Bandh call given by the separatists. Those who did not vote cannot be treated as strict supporters of the separatists. They were a bit scared from the recent incidents of violence triggered by militants. Also those who stayed indoors did not want to get disturbed while they had plans of enjoying the holiday. Invariably it has been seen that voters participation in the Lok Sabha election has remained poor when compared to the polling percentage in the Assembly election. If the separatists feel contented over the response they got for their call for poll boycott they are mistaken. Chrar-e-Sharif Assembly segment in Budgam district registered 56 per cent polling followed by 44 per cent in Kangan and 34 per cent in Ganderbal. This indicates that the writ of the separatists remained confined to six Assembly segments in Srinagar district. In 2004 Srinagar constituency registered 18.56 per cent polling. The lack of peoples' interest in the Lok Sabha poll is evident from the figures in the recent Assembly election when the 15 Assembly segments in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts registered 40.35 per cen polling. In 1989 Srinagar seat was bagged by the National Conference candidate, Mohammad Shafi Bhat, without a contest. Militants had dished out threats and had announced reward of one television set to the one who turned up at the Mission school polling booth. There were initially two three candidates in the field they immediately withdrew their nomination papers. The security scenario was so dismal that Anantnag and Baramulla constituencies witnessed 4.5 and five per cent polling respectively. In 1998 Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency witnessed less than 10 per cent polling, in 1999 the polling figure was 11.93 per cent and in 2004 it was 18.56 per cent. This is enough to convince the separatists that their writ does not run as smoothly as it used to do between 1989 and 1996.What is more important than the polling per centage is the incident free day. When one compres the polling scene in Kashmir with other states, especially West Bengal where three persons were killed. Against this Srinagar constituency simply experienced slogan shouting and sporadic incidents of police highhandedness which is said to have gone in favour of the NC candidate. The Election commission, the police authorities and the state Government deserve the credit for ensuring incident free polling in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. One should not feel shy if one calls the Thursday's incident free polling as triumph of democracy notwithstanding the fact that Syed Ali Shah Geelani's call evoked response in some segments of the constituency.
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